Saturday, 30 August 2008

Everything but the Kitchen Sink

Warwickshire's latest Championship game against Derbyshire looks odds on for a draw after a frustrating day in the field. Derbyshire's openers piled up 179 for the first wicket - a record 1st wicket stand in the competition this year. Darren Maddy threw almost everything at them in search of a break through, using 8 bowlers before turning to the very occasional bowling of Tony Frost, bowling Right-Arm Over Kitchen Sink, the one thing he had not yet thrown at them.

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Thursday, 28 August 2008

Members Forum

As mentioned yesterday, due to living in Yorkshire during the week I was not able to attend the members forum. This might be one of the reasons why George Dobell reports that the panel, particularly Colin Povey had an easy ride. Although anyone who knows me will say I'm probably too reticent in person to have stood up and given him a tough questioning anyway!

So unfortunately there is no members perspective available on last night's forum, I do recommend though nipping over to The Post's site and reading the aforementioned George Dobell article, which is pretty comprehensive.

Sly and the family stone


Sly Bailey chairwoman of the Trinty Mirror Group, which I understand to be a little bit like the armies of the Dark Lord Sauron has announced plans to completely shaft local journalism in the Midlands region by effectively merging the three titles currently published into one newsroom.

The cuts have been condemned by the National Union of Jounalists, general secretary Jeremy Dear saying “The NUJ condemns these cuts, which will inevitably hit these papers – and the communities they serve – hard”. They also have an ongoing campaign again the sweeping cuts in local newspapers and associated drops in quality.

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Wednesday, 27 August 2008

Member Down

Unfortunately as I live in North Yorkshire at the moment I am not going to be able to attend the member's forum tonight. Hopefully I will be able to get the gist and the main goings on from one or both of the forums and report it here in due course.

Very frustrating, but I am only living up here until the end of next week before being firmly entrenched back in Moseley, a mere stone's throw from Edgbaston. Not that I would condone such a course of action.

More Sites

I'm disappointed that in the course of hoovering up news for as diverse places as structural engineering weekly and the Napier Gazette*, I have missed what is right under my nose.

There are two excellent refuges for fans of WCCC in the unofficial forum and a blog by a guy called Chris (windy on bears forums).

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Friday, 22 August 2008

More Pensioners than U-16's


Yesterday the Office of National Statistics revealed that for the first time ever there are more pensioners than under 16's in the County Championship.

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Thursday, 21 August 2008

Can bowl, will travel


The continuing saga of Lee Daggett's career continues, much I'm sure to his frustration. Released by Warwickshire earlier this month he was originally told that the club would help to facilitate a move to another county.

Unfortunately for him the first county to show and interest was Warwickshire's local, and divisional rival's Leicestershire. The dispute centres on who should pay Daggett's wages for the time he is on trial with Leicestershire. Normal practise is for the county taking the player to pay 1/6 of their annual wage, however with Daggett out of contract this has become a sticking point. Leicestershire are insisting they should be able to play Daggett in their first team without any contribution towards his salary, meanwhile Warwickshire are refusing to release him to play for their divisional rivals, whilst paying his wages.

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Monday, 18 August 2008

Warwickshire well represented in Edinburgh


Scotland take on England for the first time in a One Day International today and it is likely that both sides will have a Warwickshire batsman opening. Ian Bell could well retain his spot at the top of the order, where he played against New Zealand and is likely to be partnered by the returning Matt Prior; recalled in place of Tim Ambrose – another bear.

Navdeep Poonia meanwhile will feature in Scotland’s top order, having been released by Warwickshire for the match

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Saturday, 16 August 2008

Ashes Tickets


In the early days of George Bush's presidency I remember reading an opinion that Bush and Clinton were essentially the same, but people liked Clinton more because at least when he was [screwing] you over he smiled and lied about it to make you feel better.

Colin Povey said this week: "“Will [offering half-year membership] put people off buying full membership next year?..

“It’s unfortunate that some feel they’ve not had value for money. But it’s like me buying a tie one week and going back next week and finding it’s in a sale.

“If they don’t want to come then fine. If they want to go and join Worcestershire instead then fine, too. They’ll pay more, but they’ll not have the ability to buy Test tickets and they’ll not have as good facilities.

“I think we’ve got the pricing spot on for the Ashes. We can’t be giving away tickets for this, the premium cricket match in several years. If we have a half empty ground we’ll have got it wrong. But we’re not going to, are we?"

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A little gem

Something I came across while trawling the net for obscure Warwickshire news:

Graham Smith's online diary in The Telegraph

Sunday
The last day of the Bangladesh A game at Worcester. We batted most of the day and gave our tail a bit of batting practice. It was during this match that I felt discomfort in my back but I didn't think it was too serious.

I settled in with a meal and was joined by Jonathan Trott and Neil Carter (from Warwickshire). I toured Pakistan with Trotty with South Africa Under-19s.

It was nice to catch up, but we were distracted by a fist fight between two girls.

Presumably they were fighting over who was next in the queue for Neil Carter's speed dating service. (Incidentally Carter taking part in a speed-dating session in order to jazz up an early Twenty20 game at Edgbaston was probably my favourite moment in the history of cricket. I wish I'd been a fly on the wall.)

There is also a nice bit about how Smith wouldn't go on Never Mind the Buzzcocks. Who says players have nothing to say?

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Technical Problems

Hello again after a longer sabbatical than I hoped or intended. I have had virtually no unrestricted internet access since I temporary relocated to North Yorkshire for the summer. However I have just found out a cunning way to circumnavigate the internet restrictions at my work and as a result am hopeful of updating the blog most days after work.

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